ADF

A man in Freetown, Sierra Leone, inhaled from a kush cigarette, a synthetic drug that looks like marijuana but can be 25 times more powerful than fentanyl. He was one of dozens of people smoking the drug under a bridge, where trash and blankets are strewn in the dirt. For a while, the man seemed to savor the drug’s effects, but he slowly nodded off. Seated, his chin slowly dropped toward his chest. Beside him, a man fell backward onto a tire, unconscious, his arms spread like a knocked-out boxer. Nearby, a young man also was unconscious but standing, his…

The Islamic State group’s attack on Puntland Defense Forces early in 2025 represented a key change in tactics and technology from those used previously. Where earlier attacks had been carried out with improvised explosive devices, the twin January assaults employed aerial drones. It was Islamic State (IS) in Somalia’s first successful use of drones against the government forces trying to drive the group out of the Cal Miskat mountains. The drone attacks on January 20 and 23 targeted the Puntland Dervish Force and Puntland Maritime Police Force at their base in Buuraha Cali Miskat. At least two Soldiers died, and…

Private military companies, private security companies, paramilitary forces and mercenaries have operated in Africa for decades, but their use by African nations has spiked in recent years, causing concern among the continent’s security experts. The numbers are staggering. At the height of the conflict in Libya, there were an estimated 20,000 foreign fighters supporting both warring factions. Russia’s Wagner Group alone deployed an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 mercenary forces to countries including the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali and Sudan with plans to grow its force size on the continent to 20,000. “We are witnessing the ever-increasing presence of mercenaries…

As two generals in Sudan wreak havoc on their nation in their own quests for wealth and power, other countries have pitched in, looking for a piece of the action. The war, which began in 2023, has devastated the country. Some estimates place the death toll as high as 150,000. More than 14.6 million people have lost their homes, making it the world’s worst displacement crisis. It also has brought the country to the brink of famine, with 30.4 million people — more than half the country’s population — needing humanitarian support. The warring factions in Sudan’s “Generals’ war” are…

Zambia plans to buy used Bell 412 transport helicopters and associated support from the United States with an estimated value of $100 million. Depending on the model year and condition of the Bell 412EP helicopters, ranging from $2.6 million for a 1994 model to $9.6 million for a 2016 model, Zambia could acquire between 10 and 38 units. The Zambia Air Force operates a fleet of utility helicopters, including 12 American Bell 205s, two Bell 206s and two Bell 212s. The helicopters serve various roles, including transport, medical evacuation and support for other government operations. Zambia has ordered two U.S.-made…

Egypt plans to modernize four of its fast missile craft to combat maritime crime and protect its shipping lanes. The U.S. government has approved the deal, which is worth an estimated $625 million. The U.S. said the Egyptian government requested new or system upgrades for combat management, air and surface surveillance radars, decoys, electro-optical/infrared sensors, electronic warfare, navigation data distribution, communications intelligence, and fire control radar. Egypt also asked for 76 mm gun upgrades. Egypt’s $1.1 billion fast missile craft project began in 2005 when the U.S. agreed to help produce a new naval vessel. A company then called VT…

Botswana has launched its first satellite, BOTSAT-1, in an effort led by 80 volunteers from the Botswana International University of Science and Technology. The launch, despite the fact that Botswana does not have a space agency or national space policy, offers a model for developing countries looking to gain a presence in space, reported Space in Africa. Developed over four years, BOTSAT-1 was launched into orbit by Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket in March 2025 and is circling Earth at an altitude of about 500 kilometers. It scans Botswana with a sweep observation area of about 32 kilometers, offering valuable…

The Ghana Navy has opened a state-of-the-art full mission bridge simulator to improve Sailors’ navigation, safety and decision-making. The simulator was built with support from Denmark and is at Naval Training Command in Nutekpor in Ghana’s Volta Region. The system includes a 270-degree full mission bridge simulator, three 120-degree part-task simulators, two instructor stations, a briefing room, a server room and instructor offices. Its design replicates the challenges and dangers Sailors could face in the Gulf of Guinea. The simulator has been named the Lill-May Didriksen Simulation Centre, in honor of a pioneering Royal Danish Navy officer. Authorities believe interactive…

About 60 countries endorsed the blueprint for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military, which was voted on at the Responsible AI in the Military Domain conference in South Korea in 2024. Kenya was a co-host of the event and has been a continental leader advocating for the need for rigorous risk assessments and human oversight of AI operations. “We are committed to continue engaging in the process of developing the UN resolution on Responsible AI in the Military Domain [REAIM] which underscores the need to ensure that the development, deployment and use of AI promotes peace, security,…

When a major wildfire broke out in Kenya’s Turkana South National Reserve, Soldiers from the Kenya Defence Forces’ (KDF) Operation Maliza Uhalifu (OMU) were there to contain the blaze and save valuable land, property and lives. The multiagency fire response in January 2025 also included the Kenya Wildlife Service, General Service Unit, National Parks Service and the Anti Stock Theft Unit. The response was just the latest achievement by OMU, which was launched in 2023 to address banditry in the North Rift and Eastern regions. Of particular concern was a rise in clashes among heavily armed pastoralist militias sometimes termed…